Drive to stop cycle of corruption will continue, Quader says after Samrat’s arrest

After the arrests of Jubo League leader Ismail Hossain Chowdhury Samrat and some others over links to illegal casinos, Obaidul Quader has said the crackdown will continue until the nexus of corruption is broken.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 6 Oct 2019, 05:19 PM
Updated : 6 Oct 2019, 05:20 PM

The Awami League general secretary spoke to the press on the issue at a programme organised by the party’s Sub-committee on Science and Technology Affairs in Dhaka on Sunday after the RAB made the latest arrests in the drive.

Samrat and his associate in the illegal casino business, Enamul Hoque Arman, were held early morning in Cumilla. The ruling party’s youth front Jubo League expelled them later.

After party chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed ire over reports of Jubo League leaders’ wrongdoings, the law enforcers raided sporting clubs in the capital and arrested Jubo League leader Khaled Mahmud Bhuiyan and Krishak League leader Shafiqul Alam Firoz for operating casinos in the clubs.

Controversial businessmen SM Golam Kibria Shamim and Salim Prodhan, and Mohammedan club boss Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan were also arrested.

Samrat’s name came up in the investigation into the casinos from the very beginning of the crackdown as stories of Jubo League leaders’ involvement in extortion and contract-grabbing continued to swirl.

“The one you are calling ‘godfather’ [Samrat] has been arrested. Drives to arrest them will continue. It’s not a crackdown on any party, individual or organisation,” Quader said.

“Action will be taken against all involved in corruption and criminalisation. No one will be spared. This is what the government wishes. The government has launched the crackdown with resolve.

“…The drive will continue until the government breaks the cycle of corruption,” he added

NO LINK TO INDIA DEALS

The Awami League general secretary slated BNP leaders for their comments linking the arrest of Samrat and signing of deals with India during Hasina’s visit.

The BNP criticised the government for the deals signed in New Delhi on Saturday, saying these have not safeguarded Bangladesh’s interests.

Quader called such criticism “dirty politics”.

“BNP leaders have said that Samrat has been arrested in order to cover the deals. Such comments are negative and dirty politics. The BNP is shrinking, losing popularity for this gradually,” he said.   

He dared the BNP leaders to give evidence that the constitution has been violated in the deals.

“They had previously said ‘the country has been sold’ but now they say ‘the constitution has been violated’. Have you forgotten for not being in power for a long time that Memorandum of Understanding is not any agreement?” he asked. 

“Sheikh Hasina never signs any agreement by selling out the country’s interests. She always upholds the country’s interests in MoUs and agreements,” Quader said.

Under two of the deals signed on Saturday, Bangladesh will export liquefied petroleum gas or LPG to India’s northeast and goods will be moved between Bangladesh and India through Chattogram and Mongla ports.

“India will pay us for these,” Quader said.

He also expressed hope that the much-awaited Teesta river water-sharing deal will be signed with India during the Hasina government.